Sedum plant named &#39;Superstar&#39;

ABSTRACT

The new and distinct cultivar of perennial  Sedum  plant named ‘Superstar’ is characterized by tight-forming compact clumps with small-sized, greyed-purple glaucous foliage on vertical to slightly arching branching stems flower stems that resist falling over and opening up in the center of the plant throughout the growing season. Numerous stems produce a multitude of flowers beginning light rosy-pink effect darkening with age to reddish purple and completely covering the top and sides of the plant. The new plant is useful for the landscape in containers, as specimen or en masse.

Botanical designation: Sedum hybrid.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Superstar’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Sedumplant, botanically known as Sedum and hereinafter referred to by thecultivar name ‘Superstar’. There are over 300 recognized species of thegenus Sedum.

The new Sedum plant is a selection from a planned breeding programconducted by the inventor, at a wholesale perennial nursery in Zeeland,Mich., USA.

The new Sedum plant was selected as a single seedling from an insectpollinated cross in late summer of 2012 between a selection of Sedumcauticola (not patented) as the female or pod parent and the proprietaryunreleased mutation known as “SRF-SED-282-F ‘Sunset Cloud’” (notpatented) as the male or pollen parent. Sedum ‘Superstar’ was assignedthe breeder code number 12-34-105 to keep it separated from amongthousands of other seedlings of this and other crosses when itprogressed through the initial trial phase in the fall of 2014. Theselected single seedling clone was originally selected for it strong,healthy, upright growth, colorful foliage and flowers.

Asexual reproduction of Sedum ‘Superstar’ by vegetative shoot tipcuttings at a wholesale perennial nursery in Zeeland, Mich., USA sincethe spring of 2015, has shown that the unique features of this new Sedumplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

No plants of Sedum ‘Superstar’ have been sold or disclosed by this orany other name, in this country or anywhere in the world, with theexception of that which was either derived directly or indirectly fromthe inventor and disclosed within one year of the filing of thisapplication.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of Sedum ‘Superstar’ have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, available water,fertility and light intensity without, however, any variation ingenotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tocomprise the unique characteristics of Sedum ‘Superstar’ and distinguishit as a new and distinct autumn stonecrop plant unique from all otherautumn stonecrop plants known to the inventor:

-   -   1. Tight-forming compact clumps with vertical to arching stems.    -   2. Center stems remain erect throughout the growing season        produce full habit.    -   3. Rounded, greyed-green to greyed-purple, glaucous foliage.    -   4. Numerous, branched, greyed-purple stems produce light        rosy-pink flower clusters darkening to reddish-purple and        completely covering the top and sides of the plant.

In comparison with the female parent, the new plant has more rounded,fleshy and greyed-purple colored foliage; the inflorescences are morecompact with flowers having thinner petals of strong purplish red; andthe habit is stiffer and more upright. Compared with the male parent,the new plant has less brownish-red-colored foliage and the flowers aremore vibrant reddish purple. The nearest comparison variety known to theinventor is ‘Dazzleberry’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,457. Compared with‘Dazzleberry’, the new plant is slightly taller in flowering size heightand has deeper and more vibrant colored flowers. The new plant is morerounded in habit, with more stems and less reddish colored foliagecompared with ‘Dark Magic’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,619. ‘Superstar’ ishas more greyed greenish purple foliage and the flowers are a strongpurplish-red compared with ‘Firecracker’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,595. Thefoliage of the new plant is more rounded, less dentate distally and moregreyed than ‘Marina’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,191. The copending ‘Popstar’has lighter blue-green foliage without the smoky gray overlay, and theflowers are a lighter pink forming dark pink fruit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The photograph of the new plant demonstrates the unique traits and theoverall appearance of Sedum ‘Superstar’. The colors are as accurate asreasonably possible with color reproductions of this type. Variations inambient light spectrum, source and direction may cause the appearance ofminor variation in color. The plants used in the photograph were one andthree-year-old plants grown in an open, full-sun trial garden at awholesale perennial nursery in Zeeland, Mich. with supplemental waterand fertilizer when needed. No plant growth regulators or pinching havebeen used.

FIG. 1 shows the plant in early stages of flowering with foliage.

FIG. 2 shows the plant in full flower.

FIG. 3 shows a close-up of the flower and buds.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of three-year-old plants of thenew cultivar as grown outdoors in a full sun trial plot at a wholesalenursery in Zeeland, Mich. No plant growth regulators or pinching havebeen used. Plants of the new cultivar have not been tested under allpossible conditions. The phenotype may vary with changes in environment,climate, and cultural conditions without change however in the genotype.The color reference is in accordance with the 2015 edition of The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general color dictionaryterms are used.

-   Botanical designation: Sedum hybrid;-   Cultivar denomination: ‘Superstar’;-   Parentage: Sedum cauticola as the female or seed parent;    “SRF-SED-282-F ‘Sunset Cloud’” as the male or pollen parent;-   Asexual propagation: Stem tip cuttings and division;-   Time to initiate roots: About two weeks;-   Time to finish a 3.8 liter flowering container: About three months    in the summer from a rooted 2.5 cm plug;-   Root description: Thick, fleshy; freely branching; creamy white to    light tan in color.-   Plant habit: Winter-hardy herbaceous perennial; clumping mound;    stems stiff and upright to arching arising from a dense crown; dense    and full, not opening in center later in the season; flower heads    freely branching;-   Growth rate: Moderately vigorous;-   Plant size: About 28.5 cm tall and 75.0 cm wide in full flower;-   Stems: Terete, glaucous, glabrous; diameter at base average about    3.5 mm and about 21.0 cm long from base to initial branches;    internodes average about 8.0 mm; about 80 stems per plant;-   Stem color: Nearest a blend between RHS 184D and RHS N187B;-   Lateral branches: Glaucous; primary branches about 3.0 mm diameter    and about 7.5 cm long;-   Lateral branch color: Nearest blend between RHS 186C and RHS N187C;-   Foliage: Ovate-orbicular; alternate to sub-opposite; simple; smooth,    glabrous, glaucous on both surfaces; distally sessile; thick, fleshy    and succulent; apex bluntly acute to rounded; base rounded; margin    irregularly and shallowly dentate, primarily in distal one half of    leaf, about 3.0 mm to 6.0 mm apart; decreasing in size distally;    attitude outward;-   Foliage size: To about 4.0 cm long, 3.5 cm across and 2.2 mm thick;    average about 3.6 cm long, 3.1 cm across and 2.0 mm thick;-   Foliage color: Young adaxial blend between RHS 122B and RHS 189B    with blush toward margins of nearest RHS N186B, young abaxial    between RHS 122B and RHS 189B with blush toward margins of nearest    RHS N186B; mature adaxial nearest RHS 146C with blush of nearest RHS    N186C, mature abaxial nearest RHS 146C;-   Petiole: Sessile;-   Venation: Palmate, barely distinguishable; slightly raised abaxial;-   Vein color: Abaxial and adaxial veins same as surrounding leaf    tissue;-   Flower: Stellate, actinoinophic; pentamerous; persistent; attitude    upright to outwardly in terminal compound cymes; about 7.0 mm across    and 4.0 mm deep;-   Flower number: About 2,000 to 4,000 flowers per plant;-   Fragrance: None detected;-   Flowering season: Beginning mid-August to mid-September in Zeeland,    Mich.; able to be forced to flower in greenhouse out of season with    about 2 months of growth following 9 weeks of vernalization;-   Longevity: Flower cymes remain effective for about three weeks on    the plant and one week as cut flowers; individual flowers persistent    and effective for about two weeks;-   Flower buds about one day prior to opening: Broadly ellipsoidal with    five angular sides, semi-carinate; apex broadly acute; base rounded;    about 3.7 mm diameter and about 4.5 mm long; shallowly    longitudinally sulcate;-   Flower bud color: Longitudinally striped alternately with between    RHS 75D and RHS 75C and between RHS 71D and RHS 71C; color of buds    about ten days prior to opening blend between RHS N187C and RHS 188C    with stripes nearest RHS 71A exposed between sepals;-   Inflorescence: About 6.5 cm tall from first branch and about 8.5 cm    across; up to about 100 flowers per inflorescence;-   Petals: Typically five, broadly-lanceolate; acute apex, base fused,    margin entire; glabrous and lustrous abaxial and adaxial; average    about 4.5 mm long and about 2.2 mm across at fusion;-   Petal color: Adaxial nearest a blend between RHS N57C and RHS 61C at    anthesis darkening to nearest RHS 60A in maturity; abaxial along    longitudinal margins lighter than RHS 63D with midrib between RHS    64B and RHS 64C;-   Calyx: With five sepals, fused at base; adpressed to petals, about    2.7 mm long and about 12.0 mm diameter;-   Sepals: Campanulate; lanceolate; acute apex; fused base; margin    entire; glabrous and glaucous both abaxial and adaxial; about 2.7 mm    long and about 2.5 mm wide at fused base;-   Sepal color: Abaxial and adaxial nearest a blend between RHS N187C    and RHS N77D;-   Peduncles: Terete; slightly glaucous, glabrous; stiff and flexible;    freely branching; upright to slightly outwardly; with branches to    about 70 degrees from perpendicular; about 8.0 cm long and 3.0 mm    diameter;-   Peduncle color: Proximal portions nearest RHS 187C and distal    portions nearest RHS 186C;-   Pedicels: Terete; glabrous, slightly glaucous; strong and stiff, yet    flexible; about 4.5 mm long and 0.7 mm diameter;-   Pedicel color: Blend between RHS N187C and RHS 186C;-   Androecium: Typically ten stamens;    -   -   Filaments.—Outwardly; about 4.0 mm long and about 0.2 mm            diameter; color initially nearest RHS 63C and darkening to            between RHS 61A and RHS 61B.        -   Anthers.—Basifixed, longitudinal; globose to ellipsoid;            about 0.7 mm long and 0.6 mm diameter; color nearest RHS            N77D.        -   Pollen.—Moderate in quantity; color nearest RHS 18B.-   Gynoecium: Typically five; ellipsoidal proximally and conic in    distal one third; about 4.5 mm long and 1.2 mm diameter;    -   -   Style.—Terete; about 0.7 mm long and 0.5 mm diameter at            point of attachment to ovary; glabrous; color at anthesis            nearest RHS 61C darkening to nearest RHS 61A on old flowers.        -   Stigma.—Minute, globose; about 0.2 mm diameter and 0.2 mm            long; color nearest RHS N155B.        -   Ovary.—Ellipsoidal, nearly terete, acutely tapering at apex            to style; base truncate; lustrous; about 3.7 mm long and 1.2            mm diameter; color at anthesis between RHS 61C and RHS 61D            and nearest RHS 60A after pollen dehisced.-   Fruit: Ventrally dehiscent follicle; about 3.5 mm long and 3.2 mm    across; color at maturity nearest RHS 177A;-   Seed: Sparse; fine; lanceolate; about 1.0 mm long and less than 0.2    mm across; color between RHS 165A and RHS 165B;-   Disease and pest resistance: Plants of the new Sedum ‘Superstar’ is    xeromorphic and grow best with good drainage, full sun and moderate    to low fertility. ‘Superstar’ is cold hardy from USDA zones 3 to 9    and has tolerated temperatures of at least 35 degrees C. ‘Superstar’    tolerates heavy rains and wind and is not prone to develop an open    center later in the season as many other Sedum cultivars do. Other    pest and disease resistance and tolerance outside that normal for    Sedum is not known.

It is claimed:
 1. The new and distinct perennial Sedum plant named‘Superstar’ as herein described and illustrated.